MONROE -- Monroe voters approved the $78.6 million budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year by 30 votes, according to the unofficial vote totals from Monday's referendum. In a town where multiple referendums are the norm, this is the second year in a row the budget passed on the first try.

"This can only be achieved when you have town officials listening and feeling the pulse of the whole community," First Selectman Steve Vavrek said.

At $78.6 million, the budget is 2.1 percent higher than the current budget. The mill rate will increase from 28.79 to 29.26. The average Monroe home worth $433,074 will see a tax increase of about $142.

The voter turnout was 24.5 percent. Of the town's 12,762 registered voters, only 3,139 cast ballots.

"I'm a little disappointed in the low turnout," Town Councilman Nick Kapoor said. "It was closer than I thought it was going to be."

Robert Beckett, 42, said he voted for the budget because he has three children in the town's schools.

"I'm doing what's right education-wise," Beckett said. "I'm actually voting for it only because I don't want to see any more cuts, and education is always the first thing they cut."

The education budget received no increase, although the Board of Education had sought a 1.79 percent increase at the start of the budget season.

The town's Emergency Medical Services will receive $270,000 so it can apply to the state to provide advanced life-support services. Today, it only provides basic life support and has to call in out-of-town paramedics in situations involving life-threatening injuries.

The budget also includes $700,000 for road repairs. The town plans to bond another $1.3 million for road repairs as well.

Last year, voters passed the budget in the first referendum. The budget was a less than a percent increase over the year before. The education budget received no increase, while the town got a 6.59 percent increase.

Louise Belinski, 51, said she voted against the budget Tuesday because the town should not raise the mill rate in this economy.

"How can you justify it?" Belinski said. "We have to tighten our belts. So should they."